4/16: Nearly Six in Ten Give Cuomo Kudos

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo remains in the good graces of New York State voters. According to this NY1/YNN-Marist Poll, 58% of registered voters statewide approve of the job Cuomo is doing in office. Included here are 14% who believe the governor is doing an excellent job and 44% who report he is doing a good one. 29% give Mr. Cuomo fair marks while 9% think he is performing poorly. Five percent are unsure.

In NY1/YNN-Marist’s January survey, the same proportion — 58% — applauded Cuomo’s performance, 29% thought he was doing a fair job, and only 7% believed the governor’s performance was subpar. Seven percent, at the time, were unsure.

“Governor Andrew Cuomo continues to be popular across the state and across party lines,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

Key points:

By party, 61% of Democrats, 56% of Republicans, and 51% of non-enrolled voters in New York State approve of the job Governor Cuomo is doing in office.

When it comes to region, majorities in the suburbs of New York City — 63%, upstate — 56%, and in New York City — 55% — applaud Cuomo’s performance.

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 58% job approval rating is nearly identical to that of his father, Governor Mario Cuomo, when it was measured in June of 1984. In that survey, 57% of registered voters in New York approved of the elder Cuomo’s job performance.

Many voters in New York also think well of the governor. Almost seven in ten — 69% — have a favorable impression of him while 21% have an unfavorable one. 10% are unsure.

Although Cuomo’s favorability is still high, it has dipped slightly since January when 76% had a positive view of Cuomo, 16% had a less than stellar impression of him, and 8% were unsure.

59% Say Cuomo’s Eyes on NYS, but About One in Three Sees Sights Set Higher

Nearly six in ten New York State registered voters — 59% — do not believe Cuomo is paying too much attention to national politics at the expense of New York State. However, 33% think the governor is exerting too much energy on the nation’s affairs and not enough on those of the state. Nine percent are unsure.

On other specifics of Cuomo’s image:

Seven in ten voters statewide — 70% — say Governor Cuomo is a good leader for New York State. 25% disagree, and 5% are unsure. In NY1/YNN-Marist’s previous survey, 76% reported Cuomo was a good leader, 18% said he was not, and 5% were unsure.

Many in New York State — 64% — view Cuomo as caring about the average person. 29% don’t have this impression, and 7% are unsure.

More than six in ten voters statewide — 62% — think Cuomo is fulfilling his campaign promises. 25% say he is not, and 13% are unsure. These proportions are similar to those reported in January. At that time, 65% reported Cuomo was keeping his word, 20% believed he strayed from the promises he made on the stump, and 15% were unsure.

61% say Governor Cuomo is changing the way things work in Albany for the better. 30% think this isn’t the case, and 9% are unsure. In January, those proportions stood at 68%, 26%, and 7%, respectively.

Almost six in ten registered voters in New York State — 59% — approve of how Governor Cuomo is handling the state’s budget. 34% disagree, and 7% are unsure. Cuomo’s approval rating on the budget is down slightly from January when 65% gave the governor good marks on the issue. 29%, at that time, were displeased with how he was dealing with the budget, and 6% were unsure.

While many members of New York’s electorate praise the performance of Governor Cuomo, it’s a different story for members of the New York State Senate and Assembly.

22% of registered voters statewide approve of the job the State Senate is doing. Included here are 3% who think the legislative body is doing an excellent job and 19% who say it is doing a good one. 45% bestow fair grades on the State Senate while 28% believe it is performing poorly. Five percent are unsure.

In January, 26% approved of the State Senate’s job performance. 44% thought it was doing a fair job, and 26% reported it fell short. Four percent, at the time, were unsure.

Looking at the State Assembly, only 24% like the way it is doing its job. This includes 3% who rate this legislative body’s performance as excellent and 21% who say the State Assembly is doing a good job. 46% give it fair grades, and 25% think it is performing poorly. Six percent are unsure.

In NY1/YNN-Marist’s previous poll, 24% approved of the Assembly’s job performance. 42% reported it was doing a fair job, and 29% said it fell short. Five percent, then, were unsure.

Slim Majority of New York Voters Remain Optimistic about State’s Direction

51% of New York registered voters believe the state is moving in the right direction while 43% say it is moving in the wrong one. Six percent are unsure. Voters’ optimism is on par with what it was in January. At that time, 52% thought New York was on track while 40% believed it needed a course correction. Eight percent, then, were unsure. The January survey marked the first time in more than a decade that a majority of New York voters reported the state was on track.